Growing into my Wings
by kaycee1688
Summary: A story about a young Paladin princess on the run from her home and destiny and her fight for survival and the eventual fight that will shake the realms and their understanding of Paladins.


As always I own nothing but my ideas.

Ok just some tweaks and hopefully this is clearer!

I came to Alfea with the assumption that I would be safe here. But how often do things go according to plan? However, for this to make sense I guess I had better start at the beginning.

About six years ago now mom found out she was pregnant. All was joyous for the first few weeks but things all too soon took a turn for the worst. Mom discovered that it was a Halfling (a being brought into existence with no soul and during its deliver it takes the mother's soul and life). When dad found this out he made an edict that no one of royal blood could abort a child – no matter what. With this in affect females of royal blood started to die at a scary level. Within a matter of weeks seven had died and I knew that before I left the royal grounds mom would be dead as well.

After dad's edict went out mom was rarely ever allowed to be alone and we were rarely left to have privacy. Being your daughter mom found ways. As mom continued on the path that meant her eventual death we continued to find ways for privacy mom always said it was for "teaching purposes" and they were. Just not the kind that someone not of age should have required; mom's elite guard was almost always around us. And those that were loyal only to the maternal line became my trainers. The days of learning self-defense were out the window the days of learning hand-to-hand combat, blade and sword training, wing training, and serious magical training that went well beyond my phase of magic became my norm.

As the months flew by and the date of mom's death grew ever closer a few unexpected events happened. First of all one of my cousins went through her first hard ovulation. With warrior blood she was staying with a _well-respected_ warrior class family. She was gang raped by the couple's sons. When the news came out that she was pregnant most of our line was in shock. Because of her (even diluted) connection to the thrown she wasn't allowed to abort – she was dead six weeks later. Dad tried to get it so that there was never an autopsy. Mom went behind his back and stole her body. There was speculation that dad her body thrown into the Dark Wood. Mom however had an autopsy performed and the results showed what was as expected – she wasn't physically or magically mature enough to carry to term. With this coming to light I went to the only female guard mom really trusted to understand what happened and what could happen to me if I stayed.

She informed that father had arranged a _"respectable"_ marriage match for me. Dad really knew how to spin things to look like there was nothing wrong. The 'respectable' match was set between the man that sired me and a man that was even more of an ancient – bordering on Grandfather's age! I don't really need to explain what that entails do I? Anyway this particular old one had at the time already gone through six wives! At the time I wasn't informed of the name that I was supposed to marry. If I had been told I would have ran. The one name that all under and barely of age girls' fear. A man that has a taste for things that should be outlawed not secretly encouraged!

By now the time of mom's seclusion was fast approaching. I don't know how mom was able to convince dad to let us have a picnic that day but she did. On that day there was only going to be two guards with us. Each guard brought one bag that would ensure my survival in the coming journey – one each for food and clothes. Getting ready that fateful morning I strapped on and hid every weapon that I had amassed in the past fifteen months. There were so many that I had to call to help me to strap them on. When he arrived it was decided that on the outward appearance I would be dressed formally – a very awkward and very full skirted dress and a shawl on top to help hide the disrupted lines of my loosely corseted top. Between every layer of clothes was a layer of weapons.

Exiting my room I had a guard at my side and another that joined us as soon as I left. Wearing a pair of scary heeled boots and more than my body weight in weapons I took slow and uncertain steps toward the royal chamber. Arriving there one of the guards opened the door and the other went in front of me and the other followed me into a room that I doubted that I would ever enter again. Glancing around me saw mom sitting at her vanity. Her hair was piled up on her head with grandmother's pearls weaved throughout. Turning around mom gave me a bittersweet wave to come to her and as I drew closer to her I noticed something in her hand. A jewelry box made out of beautifully carved oak that held our ancestral jewelry. As soon as I realized what it was I started shaking my head mom was giving it to me so it wouldn't pass into the horrid family that mom had married into. Pulling out a small jeweled colored clutch mom put the heavy box in it and waving her hand over it, it shrunk into what appeared to be a roughly cut dark blue sapphire. Opening a drawer by her knee she withdrew a necklace with a long chain and attached the now shrunken bag, which now looked like a sapphire, to the ring that I later learned mom had been given from grandmother.

Placing the ring on my left hand mom declared that it was time to go. Helping mom to stand in her very pregnant state I was glad she was wearing flats and glad that my last memory of her would be in this way. Wearing the pearls that you gave her on her wedding day, the pearl pendant that your mother gave you on your wedding day, and a pale periwinkle dress that make her eyes look bluer than the seas just outside the palace grounds.

Holding mom's hand we left the palace and entered the coach. An hour and a half later we were on the edge of the royal grounds and getting ever nearer the Dark Woods and the beasts that dwell within. Passing through the far gates and leaving palace grounds I turned and looked at mom with a questioning look I had thought that we weren't leaving the grounds. I knew dad had said we weren't to leave the grounds. Smiling softly and taking my hands in hers she softly said that the beasts on the inner grounds were controlled by my father and that for this to work we would have to go on the outer royal grounds. Looking away from mom's face I now knew that this would work and that in the coming months I would wish a thousand and one times that this plan wouldn't have become necessary for my survival.

Coming to the ancestral gazebo the coach stopped and a guard opened the door to help mom and me out. I stared at the place where my parents had married and where for more than a thousand years on my father's side had married before them. I went up to the gazebo and slowly went up the stairs that I knew would never see me on my wedding day and stopped in the place that had seen generations of knees kneeling and had worn a groove into the stone. I stood there and slowly turned around with tears in my eyes and softly said, "This is really happening." Holding out a hand to me mom silently called me to her. Slowly walking up to the woman that after this afternoon I would never see in person again she took my hand and drew me into a hug.

"You need to change sweetie," she said. Begrudgingly I left my mother's arms and asked her to hold the ring. Gently taking the ring mom told me to change quickly; removing the shawl I handed it to mom and watched her turn and awkwardly sit on the stone steps of the gazebo. Turning my back to the guard in front of me she undid the small numerous buttons on my back. Removing the dress I stood there strapped nearly neck to feet in in various types of blades. Both guards started to remove the blades and their sheaths and setting them on the ground. After that layer of weapons was removed the undershirt and pantaloons were removed and another layer of blades were revealed. Starting the weapon removal process again and removing that layer of clothes. The process started once again to eventually reveal the soft dove grey leather pants and vest, and a black billowy blouse. Still standing there each guard took a boot and unlaced the evil things and then balancing me on one leg at a time grabbed a pair of black leather reinforced boots. Sighing softly as I was finally out of the evil boots I kicked the one still close to me. Only to earn a dark look from the guards that was just getting up from a kneeling position in front of me.

We all knew what this day meant. Only one person would be leaving this "picturesque picnic" alive. Turning away from the woods I looked up at and in the distance across the seas I took a long look at the mountains that I prayed I would see at least once more before I died. Sighing once more I turned to mom and wished that I could reveal that I brought my digisketch but I knew mom would think that was a waste of precious space. Thinking of the small dolphin shaped toe ring and what appeared to jewel encrusted on it I couldn't bring myself to regret the decision of all the precious mementos that toe carried and would continue to carry on the journey to hopefully a safer future.

Grabbing the bag that hung from my belt I knelt surrounded by the weapons that would ensure my safety. Unbuttoning my blouse sleeve buttons I collected my throwing blades in front of me and separated them between blades made for right handed and left handed throws. Then I opened the secret pouches in my forearms (when closed they give no indication that they're there; however, when open they're open they can open to the extent where only one blade can be released or opened all the way to remove or place up to ten throwing knives) that dictated that I was a warrior class Paladin. Thankfully mom never informed anyone but the four in this glen that they existed. Taking the blades I carefully put the extremely sharp blades in the pouches and closed them.

Opening the bag that was still attached to my belt I opened it and dumped out the contents. Fifteen pouches of similar size dropped out and returned to their original size as soon as they were clear to become three to six times the size as the bag that would contain them all. Organizing the weapons and sheaths between sizes and magical and non-magical it wasn't long before I was waving my hand over the now full bags and shrinking them and putting them back into the now only large bag I would carry besides the backpack that would carry food, clothes, money, and sellable metals and gems.

Getting up I went to the coach and grabbed the bags that held food and clothes and went into the coach to grab the pack that was hidden under a cushion. Bending over I opened the clothes bag and took out the temperature and moisture regulating cloak I shook it out and went over to the pile of clothes and the few weapons that were still on the ground. The padded vest and another pair of leather pants went into the now bulging clothes container was put into the pack and the food bag followed on top. Next came the remaining weapons that were strapped onto my ankles and calves over and into the boots, the thigh straps that would each hold a gold handled, double bladed Sword of Old, the vest came off, and the back sheath went on that held a blade that was as long as my back. The vest went back on and I stood and went over my softly smiling mom I guess my last minute preparations gave her hope that I would live through what was coming my way.

Raising her arms mom pulled out the pearl strand and took off the pendant and handed them to me. Opening the bag on my belt I dropped them in and retightened the bag and replaced the ring on my. Seeing mother hold out a small black bag to me I looked at her questioningly nd hesitantly took it from her. Slowly opening the bag I turned it over my left hand and out dropped the pendent that declared who I was. Gasping quietly, with tears gathering in my eyes I knew she had given these to me in case someday that I could come back – and be able to prove who I was! Tucking the pouch into my belt, I then fastened the necklace, and tucked it into my shirt. It was too risky to display! And knowing that our time together now measured in minutes I turned from my mom before I could start to cry and looked at the guards that had watched me grow up. From my first steps, first words, first flight in all wing transformations, and then through all training and education. Going up to these two that had watched over me, protected me, and cared for me for fourteen years I went and hugged them both. Stepping back from my last hug, Liafgerro, at a staggering 6'7" looked down at my 5" 9.5" small frame and smiled upon me. Turning his left forearm over he opened his forearm pouch and removed his staff.

Looking at the heavily carved staff in the fully retracted form I thought of the first time that I had seen it and remembering that it looked as though was a million miles high and weighed a ton. Smiling as I took the staff and hugging him one last time I turned and walked towards my pack and cloak. Putting the pack on and then the cloak and then without turning back for a last look I walked away from these people that I cared for.

Looking straight ahead I started the five hundred mile first stretch of my coming journey; knowing that that length would only get me out of the Paladin realms.


End file.
